CD11c

By Jennifer Sokolowski, MD, PhD.

Think B lymphocytes just produce antibodies? Think again! Although, of course, B cells are vital for the humoral immune response, many studies in recent years have begun to uncover antibody-independent actions of B cells: regulating T cells and thus also playing a part in cellular immunity. For example, B cell depletion therapy, a new treatment for autoimmune disorders, has been found to influence T cells in addition to antibody titers.

Pathogenic microorganisms utilize a variety of cell surface receptors to gain entry into host cells and to bypass the natural defense mechanisms. One of the most prominent receptors used in this fashion is the leukocyte adhesion receptor CD11b/c.

The beta-2 integrins, a family of four cell surface transmembrane glycoproteins expressed only on leukocytes, include CD11a/CD18, CD11b/CD18, CD11c/CD18, and CD11d/CD18. They consist of a common beta subunit (CD18) and homologous alpha subunits (CD11a-d) that bind noncovalently to form an alpha/beta heterodimer.